Rev. William (Bill) Zirk started putting together the autobiographical writings of his father-in-law, Emory H. Shoemaker, over a decade ago and has finally finished the project. He published his book “The Life of A Printer’s Devil (also included “My Days With Uncle Sam”)” in October of this year.
Mr. Shoemaker passed away in 2009, leaving behind pages of handwritten notes about his life as a printer and stories of his service in World War II. Zirk has compiled both memoirs into a single publication.
Emory H. Shoemaker was born on August 28, 1914, in the Hopkins Gap area in Fulks Run. When he was a young child, his family moved to Montezuma and later, the family bought a house in Dayton.
He began working part-time as a “Printer’s Devil” at just 11 years old – a term coined for printer’s apprentices, likely due to their hands and skin often being stained with ink. During his high school years, he worked for a printer named James Ruebush. He received a draft notice from the U.S. Army while working for Service Press.
On February 9th, Shoemaker took a bus to Richmond, VA to begin his tour of duty for Uncle Sam. In March of that same year, he reported to Fort Meade, Maryland, where he received his uniform and equipment. After basic training at Camp Blanding in Florida, and a stop in Camp Kilmer, NJ, his battalion boarded a ship for Europe.
The book contains first-hand stories of Shoemaker’s experiences in France and Germany during WW II.
According to Zirk, Shoemaker “carried a collection of pictures in his shirt pocket wrapped in cellophane from his ‘K’ rations.” Although the photos sustained some damage when he fell into the Ruhr River, Shoemaker was able to dry them out and preserve them. He also carried a New Testament in his pocket. Zirk adds, “When his grandson, Phillip Zirk, was deployed to Iraq during Desert Storm, he carried it with him and still has it.”
After he returned from Germany, Shoemaker resumed his printing career at Service Press. In 1953, he bought The Garrison Press and worked there until his retirement in 1983.
Zirk says putting together the stories his father-in-law left behind has been “very rewarding.” You can pick up a copy of the book at Turner Ham in Fulks Run, Rocktown Museum in Dayton, and Triangle Emporium in Dayton.
